Brown and Blue

“I’m hexed with regrets and bad luck.”
------------------------ GREEN DAY

Don’t you feel sorry for Moe Brown?

Great kid. Fantastic kid. Humble, gracious, polite, very open but not pushy about his faith.

And completely snakebit.

I held off writing this for a few days after the Outback Bowl because I wanted to give myself time to search, through the hundreds of games I’ve covered in rickety pressboxes across the Southeast, for a receiver who was as apparently jinxed as Moe Brown. I’m not talking about untalented players – I’m talking about guys who have the skills to play the game but there is something that always happens to keep a top performance forever on the shelf.

I couldn’t find anyone. Not through 14 years of high school ball. Not through 12 years of college ball. Not through two games of pro ball.

It’s like an army of black cats decided to walk in front of Brown all day, every day, blocking his way so he can’t get out from under that ladder.

He tries – how he tries! – but it’s just not working. Every great play Brown makes is immediately followed by about 10 of the other.

A pass off the fingertips because Brown’s foot got caught in the turf. A great throw to the spot where Brown was supposed to be, only to see Brown 5 yards behind because he was bumped off his route. An end-around where Brown is just cutting the corner and falls down.

It’s agonizing, it really is, and that’s to us feebs in the pressbox. I can’t imagine what it’s like for him.

Brown’s got talent, no question. He turned down Tennessee and Maryland to come to USC. He’s been timed in the low 4.4 range in the 40, yet when he’s on the field, he can run a 4.3.

Against Georgia this year, he caught seven passes for 130 yards, each by far a career-high, and his first career touchdown. It was so important then because the Gamecocks were playing without top receiver Kenny McKinley and needed somebody to step up.

But it didn’t last. Brown would be open, it’d go through his hands. Brown would turn upfield, trip over the sideline. Brown would have a bead on the end zone, then see his foot out of bounds.

Georgia accounts for 13.5 percent of his career catches and 21 percent of his career yardage, plus the only score. Out of 37 career games.

“When we look at film, we just miss a lot of stuff,” Brown said before the Outback. “It’s not necessarily struggling, it’s just a couple of inches here or there. We are so close.”

He could have been talking about just himself. It’s like he’s forever jumping toward the top of that shelf only to find he’s a half-inch too short.

He’ll keep trying. Of that I have no doubt. He won the Hustle Award last spring and really seems dedicated to improving his game.

But maybe, going into his last year, we all need to help him out. I’ll donate three bunches of garlic, a dozen four-leaf clovers and a horseshoe that used to hang above my door.

The Moe Brown Relief Fund. Won’t you give?

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GAMECOCKS IN THE NFL -- WEEK 18

Catching up with USC's NFL alumni ...

WEEK 18

WILD CARD PLAYOFFS

John Abraham, DE, Atlanta
Had two tackles in a 30-24 loss to Arizona

Casper Brinkley, DE, Carolina
On practice squad. The Panthers had a first-round playoff bye and will play Arizona next week

Sheldon Brown, CB, Philadelphia
Had two tackles in a 26-14 win over Minnesota. The Eagles play the New York Giants next week

Andre Goodman, CB, Miami
Had one tackle in a 27-9 loss to Baltimore

Sidney Rice, WR, Minnesota
Had two catches for 27 yards in a 26-14 loss to Philadelphia

Travelle Wharton, OT, Carolina
The Panthers had a first-round playoff bye and will play Arizona next week

Anthony Wright, QB, New York Giants
On injured reserve. The Giants had a first-round playoff bye and will play Philadelphia next week

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Disappointing? Hard to tell

“Please don’t mind what I'm trying to say,
cause I’m, I’m being honest.”
------------------------- CARTEL

Is it fair to call South Carolina’s 2008 season disappointing?

The end was certainly disappointing, certainly. Three straight losses by a combined 118-30 score are not the sign of a team that finished strong, and you’re always judged by your last game.

There were certain aspects that were disappointing. The offense never fused – it was always doing just enough to get by. The defense was so fine all season and then, for whatever reason, collapsed in the last three games.

Still, no matter the end, the Gamecocks still improved. Seven wins in 2008 is more than the six in 2007. Going to a bowl – one on New Year’s Day – was much better than staring into the fireplace during the holidays, as the Gamecocks did last year.

But I doubt anybody’s thinking about that now. Not after Iowa got done throttling the Gamecocks and basically showcasing to the world all of their problems.

Of course we have the cliff-jumpers and flamers, who immediately called for Steve Spurrier’s firing as soon as Stephen Garcia’s first interception disappeared into Tyler Sash’s arms. That’s absolutely ridiculous.

First of all, the fans were the ones who envisioned constant SEC championships. Spurrier’s won at USC (28 wins in four years ties the best stretch in school history), but he never came in and said, “We’ll be SEC champs within a year.” Second of all, if USC runs Spurrier off and becomes known as the school ran off Steve Spurrier, no coach would touch this job with a 10-meter cattle prod.

There is no denying, though, that something is very seriously wrong. The great majority of these guys are all Spurrier’s players and they’re obviously all not buying into the philosophy.

And then there’s the offense. There’s no coordinator to blame it on – Spurrier is the OC. It seems to me he’s trying to run the Florida offense while not at Florida. That’ll work when you’ve got the studs you did at Florida, but trying to put in a system that made Wuerffel and Doering and Hilliard stars when you don’t have Wuerffel and Doering and Hilliard is not going to jibe.

Chris Smelley and Garcia have been yanked in and out of the starting lineup all season. Neither has played consistently well, true, but it’s not like they’ve had the confidence to go in there because they knew their job was safe. For a coach known for developing quarterbacks, it’s very disturbing.

Then there’s the historical aspect. Let’s all face it – USC is just not a football power. The Gamecocks’ all-time record is 528-529-44. One conference championship in over 100 years. Fans hope it’ll change, but maybe it’s just not meant to be. Why else do you think I offer the condolence of, every single year, “Wait till baseball season?”

Spurrier thinks it’s possible for USC to be a consistent winner, and with the right talent and a few lucky breaks, it is possible. Whether or not it’s realistic is a whole separate story.

Next year is Year Five of the Spurrier Era. The Gamecocks are losing a lot of talent at almost every position. A big-time recruiting class is on the way, though, and should be more than capable of combining with the returning players to form a solid team.

The cries for Spurrier’s job will die down within the next two weeks, as they should. Once fans calm down and realize there is no better coach that could realistically be at USC than Steve Spurrier, they’ll look at the hard facts – Spurrier has won, and he’s been the most successful coach in a four-year stretch in school history (the previous 28-win period was split between Joe Morrison and Sparky Woods, 1987-90).

He has not won championships and doesn’t seem to be making any progress toward that, and after four full seasons, that’s a little anxious. Still, though, one more year should give us all an accurate perception of where the program is and where it’s going.

Will fans be satisfied with another seven- or eight-win season or another New Year’s Day bowl game, win or lose, ignoring all the previous history of USC football? Or will they only demand an SEC title and then holler for Spurrier’s ouster?

The end was disappointing. The four years have not been.

Realize.

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"Everybody get dangerous,
Everybody get dangerous (Boo yah!)"
-------------------- WEEZER

Live from Raymond James Stadium this morning, bright and early, but wanted to give you loyal folks a shout-out from the streets of Ybor City last night.

If you’ve never been, DON’T. Your liver will not be happy with you the next day.

* On the off chance Donna is reading this – Happy New Year to you, too.

* A good omen (I guess) – of all the former players I could have run into last night, I ran into Daniel Weaver. The crossbar at the stadium still has chipped paint.

* Weaver was beside another former player. The fine Michael “Wando” Flint, whose younger brother Stephen serves as the Gamecocks’ holder these days, was also out and about.

* First thing I saw in Ybor – the Columbia Restaurant. Is there any question that this town was made to be the Gamecocks’ second home?

* USC has already won the fight song contest. Whoever wrote Iowa’s apparently never heard that fight songs are supposed to be short and peppy. This dirge sounds like it ought to be played at The Metropolitan Opera.

* So I’m at the Coyote Ugly (more on that later), and every Iowa female fan I saw knew all the words to Gretchen Wilson’s “Redneck Woman.” Insert stereotype here.

* I kept hearing Hawkeye denizens greet their USC counterparts by saying, “These must be the CAHHHKKKSSS!” Insert second stereotype here.

* Back to the Ugly – everything you’ve seen in the movie is true, times 10. Between women doing things to make your toes curl just to get a handful of plastic beads and then more women dancing on top of the bar, it gave me reasons 412-659 why I will never have a daughter.

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The Devan Downey Show

"He speaks, we listen,
We'll see his vision."
-------------- PHANTOM PLANET

Thirteen hours later, I'm still shaking my head.

Not at the missed opportunities that denied South Carolina a win over Clemson.

At the utter brilliance of Devan Downey.

How many athletes do you know would score a career-high 37 points against an archrival and say they played horribly? Downey was ticked because he had no assists and eight turnovers, and the Gamecocks lost.

"As a leader, I played a horrible game," he said. "I have to do a better job being a point guard."

He was being too hard on himself. Any better and he'll be right beside John Stockton.

Downey led the Gamecocks against the Tigers. He did it until his body gave out on him and he had to rest. He tried his best to will USC to a win and it just didn't work.

Again showing his leadership, he shoved aside his personal accolades and said he couldn't be congratulated since his team lost. Someone had to take the blame, he said, and since he was the point guard and everything flows from him, it had to be him.

USC lost for a lot of reasons. The team's depth was taken advantage of when Dominique Archie got in quick foul trouble. Trevor Booker and Raymond Sykes owned the paint. The only reason Eminem wannabe Terrence Oglesby is on the team is to can 3-pointers, and that's what he did to the tune of 25 points.

And USC still remained in good position for the upset. Mike Holmes and Zam Fredrick and Archie and all the rest contributed, but Downey was the one keeping the Gamecocks fired up.

"I wouldn’t trade Devan for any player in America. Period," USC coach Darrin Horn said. "He has so much heart, a tremendous will to win. As he continues to grow as a point guard and doing all the other things to get the other guys involved, he’s going to really be special."

No.

He already is.

Even if he doesn't want to admit it.

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GAMECOCKS IN THE NFL -- WEEK 17

Catching up with USC's NFL alumni ...

WEEK 17

END OF REGULAR SEASON

John Abraham, DE, Atlanta
Had one tackle in a 31-27 win over St. Louis. Abraham is third in the NFL with 16.5 sacks. The Falcons play Arizona in the first round of the playoffs

Fred Bennett, CB, Houston
Had four tackles in a 31-24 win over Chicago

Cory Boyd, RB, Denver
Again added to roster; no statistics in a 52-21 loss to San Diego

Casper Brinkley, DE, Carolina
On practice squad; DNP in a 33-31 win over New Orleans. The Panthers have a first-round playoff bye

Sheldon Brown, CB, Philadelphia
Defended three passes and intercepted one in a 44-6 win over Dallas. The Eagles play the Vikings in the first round of the playoffs

Terry Cousin, CB, Cleveland
Had no statistics in a 31-0 loss to Pittsburgh

Kalimba Edwards, DE, Oakland
Had no statistics in a 31-24 win over Tampa Bay

Na’Shan Goddard, OT, Seattle
Played in a 34-21 loss to Arizona

Andre Goodman, CB, Miami
Had four tackles and intercepted two passes in a 24-17 win over the New York Jets. The Dolphins play the Ravens in the first round of the playoffs

Johnathan Joseph, CB, Cincinnati
On injured reserve; DNP in a 16-6 win over Kansas City

Lance Laury, LB, Seattle
Had no statistics in a 34-21 loss to Arizona

Jamar Nesbit, G, New Orleans
DNP in a 33-31 loss to Carolina

Andrew Pinnock, RB, Denver
Activated from practice squad; DNP in a 52-21 loss to San Diego

Sidney Rice, WR, Minnesota
Had one catch for 9 yards in a 20-19 win over the New York Giants. The Vikings play the Eagles in the first round of the playoffs

Dunta Robinson, CB, Houston
Had two tackles and defended a pass in a 31-24 win over Chicago

Ko Simpson, S, Buffalo
Had eight tackles in a 13-0 loss to New England

Shaun Smith, DT, Cleveland
Had five tackles in a 31-0 loss to Pittsburgh

Travelle Wharton, OT, Carolina
Started a 33-31 win over New Orleans. The Panthers have a first-round playoff bye

Troy Williamson, WR, Jacksonville
Had no statistics in a 27-7 loss to Baltimore

Anthony Wright, QB, New York Giants
On injured reserve; DNP in a 20-19 loss to Minnesota. The Giants have a first-round playoff bye

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Captain's ship sailing?

“Should I stay or should I go?”
------------------- THE CLASH

As a wise man once said, there ain’t nothing wrong with you that a Waffle House can’t cure …

After a nice grease injection following the rigors of covering practice on an 80-degree, breezy, sunny day where you just can’t believe some wacko would ever want to blow all this up, I feel qualified to write a opinion piece. I would say I’m well-rested but my roommate last night apparently swallowed a Husqvarna chainsaw that lodged in his sinuses as a youth.

So, today’s topic. Captain Munnerlyn.

Specifically, does it look like he’s going to pass up his senior year for the NFL?

I’d have to say yes.

It should be noted, cliff-jumpers, that this is just one man’s opinion. I happen to know me running the country is a fantastic idea, but I haven’t found too many others that agree with me.

But yeah, judging from what Munnerlyn has said and what his situation is, I’d have to say there’s a very good chance his last college game will be Thursday’s Outback Bowl.

He said on Saturday that he’s really not thinking about it. But he also said, a minute later, he estimated his odds at 50-50 of staying or going.

Before you begin chastising him for having the audacity for turning down an unpaid amateur season for a paid professional one, keep in mind that he could have just quit going to class two months ago. He at least had the courtesy (and the sense) to not throw all of his eggs into one basket.

Also, there’s the family situation. Munnerlyn said on Saturday that his mother recently became ill and that’s weighing heavily into the decision.

“That kind of hit my heart because my mom’s 50 years old and if I have the opportunity to sit my mom down, that’d be great for me, because she’s been taking care of me my whole life,” he said.

Let’s look at the facts.

By his own admission, Munnerlyn did not have a great year. One part was because teams knew how good he looked in 2007 so they naturally didn’t throw his way. Another, bigger, part was Munnerlyn simply did not make the plays this year that he did last year.

You’re only as good as your last game, and Munnerlyn was flat-out awful in his. Clemson burned him so many times he could have changed his name to Coppertone.

Still, his numbers weren’t bad. He has 40 tackles going into the Outback Bowl (he had 47 last year). He also has five broken-up passes, two sacks, a forced fumble and two recovered fumbles.

The glaring zero? Interceptions. Munnerlyn has yet to grab one this year. Fellow corners Stoney Woodson and Carlos Thomas, on the other hand, combined for seven.

I couldn’t find many projections for Munnerlyn in any mock drafts, including a handful of fan-boy ones besides the ones I normally peruse. The best I found for him was in the sixth round.

Even the low draftees can make some serious bank, though. Last year’s Mr. Irrelevant (last pick of the draft), David Vobora, has a contract with St. Louis, although financial terms weren’t disclosed. But a guarantee is a guarantee.

Munnerlyn is wrestling with the decision. Let’s face it, he’s not going to hit a sudden growth spurt or get any bigger or much faster than he is now. He can come back and have a fine senior season to up his draft status, but we all know the NFL puts a lot more emphasis on height, weight, 40 time, vertical leap and skills shown at the NFL Combine that it does on actual game film.

So taking the money, however little it might be, is a serious option. It’ll probably be more than enough to get his mom comfortable.

But then again, he’s getting some advice to come back to USC. The first piece came from, you guessed it, his mom.

“She really wants me to stay in school,” Munnerlyn said. “I got 30 hours left, so it won’t hurt me to stay in school.”

Former Gamecock and current Philadelphia Eagle Sheldon Brown also advised Munnerlyn to stay. Another former Gamecock and current NFL player, Johnathan Joseph, told Munnerlyn to do what’s best for his family.

Joseph went early and was a first-round draft pick. Ko Simpson went early the same year and went in the fourth round, although he quickly worked his way into the starting lineup and received a contract befitting that. Sidney Rice, a focal point for players who went pro because of family concerns, went early and got a second-round draft selection.

There’s plenty of good and bad examples, which is making Munnerlyn’s decision that much harder.

I’ve said before, I would never begrudge a kid for going pro to help his family. If I was 21 years old and somebody was offering me a six-figure contract to play a game for a living, I’d do it even if I didn’t have to take care of an ailing family member.

Knowing Captain Munnerlyn, how pleasant he always is, I’d say he’s that rare kid that says family comes first and actually means it. And it’s for that reason I feel he’ll play the Outback and no matter what he does during it or what he hears from the advisory committee, he’ll submit his name and leave school.

“Like I told the other guys, when the opportunity is there, I got to sit down and talk with my mom and stuff,” he said. “See what’s going on with her. I got to do what’s best for my family.”

That’s a tough habit to break.

Not that anyone should.

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Outback, here we come

“6 a.m., day after Christmas,
I throw some clothes on in the dark.”
-------------------- BEN FOLDS FIVE

When last we left our stalwart heroes, they were bringing you the absolute best in South Carolina coverage to you, no matter what those other guys say. They took off two days for Christmas because even they, as impossible as it is to believe, are human, but now they are right back into the grind. Ahead lay the sun …

Greetings from the road, dear brothers and sisters, where the unexhausted Paul Collins, Brian Shoemaker and I are on the way to Tampa, Fla. We’ve heard there’s some kind of event down there we should probably attend. Me, after visiting Tampa for four days earlier this month, I just want to get back to the Coyote Ugly over in Ybor and keep talking with that cute bartender who it didn’t seem to me charged yours truly regular price for a cold one.

-- Sign actually seen on the way – an exit for Street Road.

If the Gamecocks are keeping to their schedule, they’re in the skies somewhere above us at the moment. I would have probably joined them and some of the other beat writers in flying but I have this phobia about crashing and burning. I still believe if man was meant to fly he would have been born with wings – I have never understood how they take something that looks like a Greyhound bus and keep it up in the air.

Anyway, hope everyone had a good Christmas. For the 30th consecutive year, I did not receive my official Red Ryder carbine action 200-shot range model air rifle with a compass in the stock and this thing that tells time. It’s a sad state of affairs when a man can own a 12-guage shotgun and not a BB gun.

We’ll be posting the football news as soon as we get to Tampa and send you some pictures from the team supper tonight. I might tuck into some free Outback eats but there is a Waffle House right across from the media hotel.

That’s how I roll.

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GAMECOCKS IN THE NFL -- WEEK 16

Catching up with USC's NFL alumni ...

WEEK 16

John Abraham, DE, Atlanta
Had four tackles and one sack in a 24-17 win over Minnesota. Abraham is third in the NFL with 16.5 sacks

Fred Bennett, CB, Houston
Had one tackle in a 27-16 loss to Oakland

Cory Boyd, RB, Denver
Was activated from practice squad last week, then cut and re-signed to the practice squad; DNP in a 30-23 loss to Buffalo

Casper Brinkley, DE, Carolina
On practice squad; DNP in a 34-28 overtime loss to the New York Giants

Sheldon Brown, CB, Philadelphia
Had three tackles and defended a pass in a 10-3 loss to Washington

Terry Cousin, CB, Cleveland
Had no statistics in a 14-0 loss to Cincinnati

Kalimba Edwards, DE, Oakland
Had no statistics in a 27-16 win over Houston

Na’Shan Goddard, OT, Seattle
Played in a 13-3 win over the New York Jets

Andre Goodman, CB, Miami
Had two tackles, defended five passes and intercepted one pass in a 38-31 win over Kansas City

Johnathan Joseph, CB, Cincinnati
On injured reserve; DNP in a 14-0 win over Cleveland

Lance Laury, LB, Seattle
Had one tackle in a 13-3 win over the New York Jets

Jamar Nesbit, G, New Orleans
DNP in a 42-7 win over Detroit

Andrew Pinnock, RB, Denver
On practice squad; DNP in a 30-23 loss to Buffalo

Sidney Rice, WR, Minnesota
No statistics in a 24-17 loss to Atlanta

Dunta Robinson, CB, Houston
Had five tackles and defended a pass in a 27-16 loss to Oakland

Ko Simpson, S, Buffalo
Had no statistics in a 30-23 win over Denver

Shaun Smith, DT, Cleveland
Had no statistics in a 14-0 loss to Cincinnati

Travelle Wharton, OT, Carolina
Started a 34-28 overtime loss to the New York Giants

Troy Williamson, WR, Jacksonville
Had one catch for 3 yards in a 31-24 loss to Indianapolis

Anthony Wright, QB, New York Giants
On injured reserve; DNP in a 34-28 overtime win over Carolina

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The Cook's Out the Kitchen

“Yeah, maybe I’m selfish.”
-------------------- KANYE WEST

And here I was, all set to be glib and funny with some random tidbits from the road …

Ah, Emanuel Cook, we hardly knew ya.

You should have been there. It was such an easy question, one of those you have to ask after every exam period, figuring there might have been someone who slipped through the cracks.

Coach, everybody good? Yes? Great, see ya later, first round’s on me, boys.

All of our jaws hit the practice field grass at the same moment.

Emanuel Cook? E. Cook? The guy who could have sold replica jerseys with “Embalmer” stitched on the nameplate?

Ineligible?

“It’s not hard to pass six hours,” coach Steve Spurrier said. “He did not put much effort in, it appears.”

I’ll second and third that.

We all knew it was a pretty good possibility Cook would leave USC after his junior year. Once those agents start coming around and dollar signs start dancing behind your eyelids every night, it’s really a formality.

I’d have understood. Really. While I confess I’m not intimate with the details of Cook’s family status – i.e., if Cook wanted to go ahead and make their lives comfortable -- I realize how hard it is to turn down just the chance of millions of dollars when it’s right there. Hell, you can graduate any time. In the words of Steve Miller Band, take the money and run.

But then the reports started trickling in that Cook just quit going to class for the past two months.

That says that Cook knew he wasn’t coming back, knew he was going pro, and even though he knew full well that if he didn’t pass this semester, he couldn’t play in the Gamecocks’ bowl game, he deliberately flunked anyway.

Sorry, folks, but those of you who are supporting Cook for his past actions – and it has been glorious, I admit – you’re way off base.

This was a selfish, classless, lazy decision. Go pro if you want, that’s your business, but don’t leave your team in the lurch by tanking games you could have played if you’d have cared.

The excuses were rampant.

Maybe he couldn’t handle the classwork. He lasted this long, didn’t he?

Maybe this semester’s classes were too tough. He only had to pass six hours. Let me just point out that Rhetoric of Star Trek, Introduction to Sports Broadcasting and Astronomy (Self-Paced) have been or are offered at USC. I daresay USC’s academic counselors could have found two classes for Cook to pass if he more or less just showed up.

Maybe he just wanted to get a head start on NFL training. What better way to get ready for football than by practicing football?

It’s sad that such a great player’s legacy will be tarnished the selfishness at the end of his career. It’s like the day you found out what Babe Ruth was really like – the gloating about his paycheck, the constant boozing, the philandering.

But it seems that will be the case.

Cook could return, I suppose. There’s players on the team now who flunked out and came back. He’d have two years to play one season.

Don’t be surprised, though, if you read in the coming days and weeks about him signing with an agent and entering the NFL Draft.

The Gamecocks have no choice but to carry on without Cook, and that’s fine. I think there are enough players, particularly on the defense, who will say, “Yeah, it sucks, but we can handle it” and then go out and prove it. They at least have plenty of time to get ready for it.

Ain’t like it’s an unfamiliar situation. Remember that first Outback Bowl, where a stud player did something stupid, got left home and his substitute saved the day?

Perhaps Dion LeCorn or C.C. Whitlock or whoever gets tapped to replace Cook can switch their jersey, for just one game, to Cook’s No. 21.

Maybe it’s got some magic left in it from that other guy who wore it seven years ago, same stadium, same city, same bowl game.

Name of Brewer.

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